How Long Passport Renewal Takes Right Now

When people ask how long passport renewal takes, they usually mean "when will the new passport be in my hands?" The State Department's published processing time answers a narrower question: how long your application spends being reviewed. This guide separates the pieces, adds them up for common situations, and shows where delays, especially photo problems, come from. All figures were checked on the State Department's processing times page on October 7, 2026, which it last updated on October 5, 2026.

Current processing times

These times can change with demand. The State Department says its busiest period runs from late winter through summer and suggests applying between October and December, when it is less busy.

Mailing time comes on top

The State Department is explicit that mailing times are not part of the processing time:

• Getting your application to the State Department: up to 2 weeks for mail applications.
• Getting your passport back to you: up to 2 weeks after it is mailed, unless you pay $26.87 for 1 to 3-day return delivery of a passport book.

Online renewal removes the first leg, since nothing is mailed in. Your application starts its journey the moment you submit. The return leg still applies.

Realistic total timelines

Here is how the pieces add up, using the State Department's maximum figures. Your passport may arrive sooner, but plan around the upper end.

The "plan for" column is our arithmetic from the State Department's published ranges, not an official promise.

When to apply before travel

The State Department's own guidance on choosing a service:

• Traveling in 6 weeks or more: routine service. If you are eligible, renew online or by mail.
• Traveling in less than 6 weeks: expedited service. You can expedite a renewal by mail. Online renewals cannot be expedited at submission.
• Traveling in less than 2 to 3 weeks: make an appointment at a passport agency or center once you are within 14 calendar days of international travel, or 28 days if you need a foreign visa.
• Life-or-death emergency: if an immediate family member abroad has died, is dying or has a life-threatening illness or injury and you must travel within 14 days, you may qualify for an emergency appointment.

Also check your destination's entry rules. The State Department notes that some countries require at least 6 months of passport validity beyond your trip, and some airlines will not board you otherwise. That can move your real deadline earlier than your expiration date.

See expedited passport renewal for a full breakdown of the faster options.

How photo rejections add delay

The State Department says unacceptable photos are the number one reason it puts passport applications on hold. Here is what happens when your photo fails review:

1. Your application is placed on hold.
2. You receive a letter or email asking for a new photo. Your status changes to "Additional Information Needed."
3. You have 90 days from the date on the notice to respond.
4. Once your new photo arrives, the status changes to "Information Received, In Process Again," and processing resumes.

The State Department says processing times may be delayed because your application was on hold. In practice, every day between the notice and your reply is added to your wait, plus mailing time if you respond by post. An expedited application with a rejected photo can easily end up slower than a routine one with a good photo. Our guide to a photo rejected during online renewal walks you through the fix.

Common reasons a photo fails include shadows, a background that is not white or off-white, glasses, tilted heads from selfies, blur, and edited or filtered images. The passport photo rejection guide covers each one, and our free passport photo checker flags many of them before you submit.

Other things that slow a renewal down

• Incomplete mail applications. A missing signature, missing pages, wrong fees, missing passport or a photo problem can get your DS-82 sent back. The State Department says you should get it back within 1 to 2 weeks to fix and resubmit.
• Not being eligible to renew. If your passport was issued more than 15 years ago, the intake facility returns the application and you must apply in person.
• Peak season. Late winter through summer is the busiest time.
• Slow replies. Any letter or email from the State Department puts your file on hold until you answer.

If your passport is taking too long

Most applications finish within the published ranges, but here is what the State Department says to do when one does not:

• Expedited service missed its timeframe. When you pay the $60 expedite fee, the State Department says it processes your application within 15 business days. If it does not, you can request a refund of the $60 through its online refund form. Other fees and travel costs are not refunded.
• Status says "Passport Mailed" but nothing has arrived. If more than 2 weeks have passed since it was mailed, call 877-487-2778. You may need to complete Form DS-86, a statement that you did not receive your passport, within 120 days of the issue date.
• Your trip moved closer. Call 877-487-2778 to discuss options. If there is still time, the State Department notifies the agency working on your application; if not, it can make an appointment for you.
• You want to know who has your file. The first 2 digits of your 9-digit application locator number show which agency or center is reviewing it. The code 96 means Online Passport Renewal.

Old passports and supporting documents travel separately. The State Department says they can arrive up to 4 weeks after your new passport, so a missing birth certificate or old passport is not necessarily lost.

Tracking your progress

For mail renewals, it can take up to 2 weeks after mailing before your status shows "In Process." Online applicants get email updates. Our guide to checking your passport renewal status explains each status and what to do if one stalls.

If you are still deciding how to renew, confirm whether you can use the online route with the online renewal eligibility checklist.